Probably more widely known for their robot-stacked bricks, Gramazio & Kohler turned their attention to stacking wooden slats last summer for the West Fest Pavilion. All of the wooden pieces of the pavilion were cut and placed by a robot, or at least a robotic arm (see above). Because the length of the wooden pieces doesn’t change, or doesn’t change as much as the curvature of the columns, the slats de-laminate toward the roof, and when lit from within, each of the 16 columns becomes a sort of lantern.

Gramazio & Kohler describe their work as “the direct implementation of material and production logic into the design process, establish[ing] a unique architectural expression and a new aesthetic.” However, their West Fest Pavilion looks (er… looked) more evolutionary than revolutionary; more like the progeny of a gothic arch and the Memphis International Airport. Who knew their baby would look so good?